Advertising Miracles

( Originally Published 1898 )

Advertisements won't work miracles. They won't sell ice in Greenland nor snowshoes at the equator. An advertisement will sell overcoats in July if they are cheap enough, but a seasonable ad of seasonable stuff is always best.

Dull season advertising must be considered in two ways, as advertising and as insurance—insurance of business—insurance against loss of trade.

Such insurance should be placed on the same business principles that dictate the placing of fire and life insurance. Pick out the strongest companies—the best papers.

Business insurance—advertisingis better than the other kinds. They repay the losses caused by misfortune. Advertising prevents the misfortune.

It may be possible to do advertising from which you will never see any results. It is certain that you will never get results from the advertising that you do not do.

If all the money that is wasted in worthlesss media were concentrated in the best paper—a paper of influence and profit bringing power, it would carry a good advertisement straight through the dull season.

Advertising finds a parallel in. farming. At some seasons the harvest follows the planting very-quickly, at others the result is slower.

Plant advertising seed in December and the crop comes at once. Plant in July and it may be September before the full, rich harvest comes, but it will come. And if you plant a little " garden sass" along with it, you'll get something to eat right straight through July and August, too.

Get a wedge of satisfaction started into the house with a three-cent fan, and the big end of it will carry in some silk dresses later on.

Running expenses are much the same whether you're dull or busy. Figure the cost of the advertising against the gross profit of the in-creased business from week to week, and the operation will show a profit every time, provided the advertisements are properly considered and written.